Wings of Fire: Rise of Oasis
UNFINISHED, DO NOT STEAL** Okeedokee hallo everybody, this is my first uploaded fanfic, which is obviously incomplete. Also, please excuse any flaws you may come across, they are only issues I missed. You can request that your OC be a character in the story, and I will try my best to find a way to include such C: Cover/art/suggestions would be extreemly helpful :D enjoy the story! -Bigcheese Characters (as of now) Oasis- Female SandWing, main protaginist in the story Rune- Male SandWing Fjautre- Female IceWing Perid- Female SkyWing ShadeSpell- Male NightWing Alps- Male SkyWing Natch- Male Rainwing Spectrum- Female Rainwing Queen Storm- Female SkyWing Hurricane- Male SeaWing Fury- Male SeaWing Midnight- Female NightWing Prologue “Queen…t-the…he’s escaped…” The SandWing guard informed grimly. The small Queen stood still in the shadow of the window, the three white moons reflecting off her dry, dusty scales. The dim, white lightning was enough to illuminate the dried blood that ran down her forearm and deathly scar that dug into her tough flesh. The Queen remained silent, showing no reaction whatsoever. The guard anxiously sat in the doorframe, preparing for the dragon to lash out her anger upon his scratched armor. “Hurry Oasis into the fleeing chambers and alert the bordering patrollers. This dragon is dangerous and deadly, he needs to be captured as soon as possible.” The Queen replied sternly, not a hint of worry in her tone. “Yes Indeed, You’re Majesty.” The guard replied as he stormed out of the room and down the narrow spire. The SandWing sighed, hearing her guard’s claws scrape across the sandstone stairs as he scuttled down the tall spire. She turned and dug her claw into the keyhole of a small wooden box. She churned her claw inside the hole and the chest soon popped open. Lying on a pillow of fuchsia velvet was a golden amulet with a black diamond held in the center. Perfectly crafted, magically charmed, this necklace would make for one of the most valuable things in Phyrria. A painful, eerie roar screamed out from outside and Queen Sahara knew it was time for her to leave. She slipped the amulet over her dry, scaly neck and hurried down the spiraling staircase. She scurried down a set of long narrow hallways and met her daughter and two buff guards in the fleeing chambers. As they hurried down a dark set of stairs, the Queen held her daughter, Oasis, close to her pale underbelly. The hatchling snuggled in closer, absorbing the cozy warmth into her tan scales. The heat soothed the young princess. “You’re Majesty, we’ve blocked the entrance. With the binding still strapped to his wings, it is impossible for him to escape. The Queen grunted. “Don’t underestimate him.” She mumbled darkly. Oasis looked up at her mother with worry. The hatchling turned as the clattering of metal chains rang through her sensitive ears. The princess turned to see numerous cells lined up against the wall. Though the chambers were dark, Oasis was able to make out scavengers banging against the bars, cursing at the dragons as they passed. They must’ve been angry about the SandWings taking over their castle. Recently, the amount of dragons has been rising dangerously quickly. Just over a month ago, the dragons have finally fought back against the scavengers to seize the land and enable dragons to roam free around the vast, green island of Phyrria. Though the Scorching has only just begun, the SandWings weren’t the first to take over one of the scavenger’s castles. A bright light soon poured into the hallway and the dragons hurried up another difficult flight of stairs. Oasis liked the way her claws sounded as they clicked and scraped the sandstone stairway, even in the midst of confusion the princess took pleasure in the little things the world had to offer. “Oasis,” the Queen twisted her neck so that her eyes met her daughter’s. “I need you to follow this guard. His name is Dirk, he’s gonna take care of you for awhile.” She said in a motherly tone. The hatchling shook her head. “Mommy I want to go with you!” She pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. Queen Sahara grew teary eyed as well. “Don’t worry, my little SandWing, you will be safe. I am going to be gone for a long while. When I get back, you can live with me in the castle again, okay?” “But momma-!” “Shhhhhhhh…..” her mother chided silently, cradling the hatchling in her small arms, her claws barely enough to hold her head. The two cried for a short period of time, and were forced to depart by both the guards and the situation. “Remember dear, trust Dirk! Listen to Dirk! Stay with Dirk!” The Queen swallowed. “I- I love you, Oasis!” “I love you too mommy!” “Come on, let’s move it!” The guard ordered sternly, tugging the hatchling into the light as the mother war huddled back into the depths of the dark hall. The dragon clutched the year old princess in his massive talons and flew off, his wings beating harder and stronger than ever before. Though, her mother quickly tossed the amulet towards the two dragons. It flew into the hatchling’s small claws before the next gust of wind could manipulate its path. Chapter 1 “No. I’ve told you thousands of times by now, no.” “Listen to me dragonet-!” “I have a name.” Oasis snarled. Dirk’s narrow eyes rolled and the pale, massive dragon turned towards the entrance to the hut, his long tail swishing behind him. Oasis sneered in pride at her victory and continued biting at her claws, a nasty habit she developed over 5 years of boredom in the desert. She and Dirk had been living in the small, coyote skin hut for almost 4 months now, the longest they’ve ever stayed in one spot. Though, Oasis wouldn’t be surprised if Dirk walked in with their saddlebags and told her to pack up. Just seconds after their argument, Dirk came strutting back inside the hut with a load of scrolls between his massive jaws. “Yessh.” He gritted through the load of paper in his mouth. “I thought I said no! I don’t want to study!” Oasis snarled. Dirk dropped the pile of the scrolls in front of the sassy princess “Say that to your dead mother; it was her death wish that you get a good education, and I doubt you’d want to disappoint her.” Dirk then exited the hut once more, most likely so that he could hunt for food, even though half of the good prey out here was either nocturnal, underground, or both. “Sheesh, dragonets…royal pains…” Oasis heard him grumble on the way out. Since when was she royal? Oasis rolled her eyes and shifted her leathery wings slightly. Oasis has been told by Dirk that her mother died a year after she was born in a viscous fight with her father. Dirk said that her mother was a small, quick, and agile SandWing who played a big role in the war against the humans. He said that her mother defeated the scavenger king of the former SandWing castle with one swipe of her talons. Though, her evil aunt threw her into the dungeon with her father and took the throne all for herself. It made Oasis happy to know that she could’ve been royalty, though she was mad that her mother didn’t kill her sister. Oasis sighed and decided that she’d rather make her mother proud than get revenge on Dirk, so she slid open the thinnest scroll she could find and began to read, hoping that she wouldn’t get too bored. One bright, sunny day, a hungry scavenger set off into the deep, dark wood. During his quest for prey, the unfortunate scavenger bumped into a viscous, powerful SkyWing. '' '' ''Oasis could already tell that this was a fable scroll and that it had no real information in it. Not only did she assume that the piece was fictional, but Oasis also guessed that the writing was more so for dragons younger than her. She liked the idea of pretending to learn. The young dragonet continued reading the fable, forgetting about her mother and making her proud. ''The mighty SkyWing grew very, very angry and roared at the scavenger. The pathetic hunter fled and somehow escaped without getting killed. The next day, the scavenger bumped into the beast again, this time with a sword and armor. The two dueled until midday, sunset, midnight, and for the rest of the year. A year later, on the brightest night of the decade, the scavenger killed the SkyWing and stole all of his treasure. Though, the dragon put a curse on the scavenger after he touched his gems, and the hunter turned into a lazy RainWing. “Ha!” Oasis laughed. “A scavenger defeating a dragon! Impossible! Hahaha!” The dragon burst out in laughter. Just then, a low growl rumbled outside of the hut. Oasis paused and listened again. The disturbing grumble repeated itself, except this time, it sounded closer. The dragonet quickly stood up and scrambled outside, preparing herself for the worst. The dragon leapt out the entryway of the hut, her expression focused and alert. Though, to her surprise, the scene was bare and silent. The only thing that Oasis could find was sand and the bones of what she thought were a coyote. Even Dirk was absent from the scene, which worried her. “Dirk! Diiiiirrrrk!” She called out in a worried tone. “DIRK!” No response. “Great Moons, where is that lazy veteran?” She grumbled to herself and she searched the perimeter of the hut for her missing caretaker. The dragonet looked up and noticed a pale figure flailing about in the clouds. Oasis chased after the mysterious dragon, praying that it was Dirk. Though out of control, the dragon was fast. Oasis struggled to keep up with the flailing beast as it took each spontaneous turn and flip. The dragon eventually crashed into the shallow valley of two massive Dunes. Oasis quickly ran up to the dragon, chanted Dirks name and praying that he’d be alright. Though, to her surprise, the dragon wasn’t Dirk. The dragon in front of her was an extremely pale shade of lemon and had a pink, fleshy scar blinding his left eye. He looked a year older than her and had small, ivory stubs instead of proper SandWing horns. He had a rather large build and short claws, an uncommon trait for most SandWings. Oasis hadn’t known that she had been blushing. He was the first SandWing her age that she had ever seen. She examined his wings carefully, noticing a colossal tear in his right wing. Just by looked at the dragonet, Oasis could tell that the dragon was far past dehydrated. She unplugged the flask around her torso and let some water fall into his broad jaws. The dragon’s icy eyes shot open and the dragonet jumped up, water dribbling down his jaw. Though, he quickly fell down out of a terrible case of nausea. To repair the dragon’s wings, Oasis fetched a roll of bandaging from the hut and carefully wrapped them around the tear. She hoped that the cloth would be a somewhat fine replacement. Oasis the hesitantly set her claws on his scaly forearm, stroking his scales and roaring for help. Sadly, Dirk never showed up and neither did any passing dragons. Oasis continued to pour water into the dragonet’s mouth and he even lent him a whole salmon, which Dirk would never allow her to do. The dragon did eventually come to and was somewhat able to speak. Oasis figured that she would take advantage of this opportunity and get some need answers. “Hey, what’s your name?” she asked in a blank tone. “Rune…” he said as he exhaled deeply. Oasis nodded and pushed further. “How did wind up here?” “It was a mission…I’m supposed to be searching for some SandWing dragonet but I doubt she’s you.” Oasis snapped her neck back as if offended. “Who sent you? And why are you all dehydrated and bruised? Also, how do you know I’m not the dragonet you’re looking for?” “You like asking questions, don’t you?” “Not as much as I like getting answers.” She replied sharply. Rune huffed and sat up. His eyes were tired and bloodshot from what Oasis assumed was days of running, but what was he running from? “Look, I’d better be on my way now, I honestly don’t have time for your pointless questions. I have better things to do, like saving a princess.” There was a brief, quiet pause. “I- I think I need to come with you…” Oasis said quietly, frowning slightly. Rune frowned as well and stood up, stuttering on his way upwards. “What makes you think that?” He questioned narrowly, his forked blacked tongue flicking in and out. Oasis was surprised by how long it was, it was an abnormally long tongue, which did not occur in most SandWings. Then again, Oasis began to wonder why she was even taking the effort to notice his tongue. She shook her head slightly and replied to Rune. “My guardian is gone…h-he’s gone missing. May I pursue my search with you? I’m too young to be alone in the desert; especially during the Scorching.” She replied grimly, eyes focusing on the hot sand beneath her claws. Rune paused, as if considering the statement. He huffed and shifted his wings slightly. “Fine, just be quick when packing your stuff up. Only pack some water, food, and any battle charms. We may need them.” Rune inhaled as he readied himself for flight. Oasis shot Rune a mischievous look and turned to head back to her hut. Chapter 2 It was evening by the time the two dragons set on their journeys. Rune, on a quest for a lost princess, and Oasis, on a search for her missing caretaker. The bored Oasis was desperate to start conversation. Though, she had this unusual feeling that if she said the wrong thing, Rune might think of her oddly. Thankfully, Rune began to speak. “This region of the desert is so peaceful. I wish I would’ve come to this area sooner, or at least without a dozen nasty SkyWings on my tail.” He muttered sourly. “Wait, we’re being stalked by SkyWings?! We need to hurry, I don’t know about you, but I have ambitions to live up to; I’m not dying.” She said as she sped forward with a sudden, unexpected burst of speed. Rune beat his wings harder, his dehydration and wounds adding to the searing pain. Rune then began to wish that he would’ve taken more of Oasis’s kind offers. He shouldn’t of taken her food and water for granted; she was in the middle of the desert, where finding a fish was about as hard as finding a RainWing amidst the war. Rune couldn’t believe that she had wasted her resources on him, a selfish dragon who deserved to get mauled by the SkyWings, who were only chasing him for the same reason; selfishness. Rune glanced at the golden tiara in his leathery bag with guilt. It no longer glittered the way it used to, nor did it sparkle in his icy pupils. Rune looked up at Oasis. He noticed the escaping SandWing and sped forward, hoping that she would forgive him for whatever tragic events were about to fall upon them next. “Oasis, it’s not- OASIS!” Rune shouted as a fiery red SkyWing dove from above and snatched the SandWing, descending with her into the hot sands below. Rune sped forward when a sudden weight clawed onto his torso and he began to plummet downwards. A thick wisp of sand flew up into the air as he crashed into the dunes. He roared in pain and began wildly thrashing around, the sand blinding him in the most painful, uncomfortable way possible. The SkyWing pinned him to the ground with her mighty talons, digging deep into the flesh of his bare underbelly. Rune roared again, louder and longer. He then leapt up, which took all the remaining energy he had, and began blindly thrashing at the dragon again. He probably would’ve been fighting more strategically if his eyes weren’t so red and irritated with sand. Rune suddenly began to wonder how Oasis was doing. The female SandWing bit into the opponent’s neck and began tearing apart the dragon’s webbed wings. The pitiful SkyWing’s screams of agony somehow satisfied her. She went wild as she continued to beat the dragon up until it was a crippled pile of flesh. Oasis, without realizing her wretched actions, roared proudly and arrogantly flapped her wings, feeling her throat heat up to an intense degree. Before she knew what had happened, a blast of reds, oranges, and fiery yellows shot out of her mouth and towards the surrounding dragons. The SkyWings yelped in fear as they fled into the empty distance. Oasis turned to face Rune, her heart pounding, her mouth agape in a wicked sneer, her eyes wide open with thirst for bloodshed and war. Though, the look on Rune’s pale face snapped her out of the battle trance. She turned sharply, noticing the dislocated, roasted corpse splayed out in the red sand. Her jaw dropped further and she stuttered backwards, afraid of her actions. Afraid of her power. Afraid of her. She turned once more to face Rune. His expression told her that he was just as stunned as she was. In the background, Oasis heard a faint groan and she rushed to the dragon’s side. The SkyWing, once a rich copper shade, was now stained in dark blood and bruising. Parts of the dragon’s skin was exposed; the scales absent from its warm, tender flesh. Thick blood was pouring from its mouth and the scars that ran deep into its skin. Both dragons were stunned by the outcome of the fight. “H- how…w-wha-when…whaaa?” Rune stuttered in sheer shock. Oasis couldn’t find the words to answer. She just stood there, staring at the corpse, and shrugged slightly. Although both dragons knew that the murder was worth more than just “a shrug.” Oasis was told that she had combat skills, but she was never told she was a bloodthirsty killer. The scared dragon began to think of the countless dragons she’d kill in her future, especially if these strange ambushes keep coming up. Oasis would’ve been angry at Rune for attracting the SkyWings in the first place if she was in her right mind, although, she wasn’t quite in her right mind. The dragons just kind of sat there for awhile with blank expressions. Rune offered to go hunting, but Oasis dismissed him and assured him that they were going to have Dirk’s homemade game tonight. In all off the murder mayhem, Oasis forgot that she was even searching for Dirk. The campfire was quiet that night. The fire reminded them too much, and it was too uncomfortable of a scene to casually chat in. Rune signaled to Oasis that he was gonna go to sleep, and Oasis nodded plainly. She had never been this quiet in years. Although, she did eventually fall asleep after being tempted into the trance of the crackling fire. The next morning, Rune and Oasis continued north into the SkyWing kingdom. Rune suggested so during campfire. He explained to Oasis that since the SkyWings were the only known dragons following him and that they would be the only ones who would dare risk the kidnapping of one of the best guards in Phyrria. Oasis, out of both luck and hope, had to agree. To the dragons’ surprise, the sky was clear of any lurking enemies and scavengers. The scorching was almost over and the scavengers have become more and more scarce. As if they were becoming extinct or hiding for protection, although Oasis didn’t expect them to be that clever. The ominous mountains began to roll into view as the SandWings approached the SkyWing Empire. Oasis wasn’t nervous, in fact she was excited for reasons she couldn’t explain. She paused midflight at the thought of “the monster” inside of her, itching for death and bloodshed. She stopped and lowered herself to the sand below ever so slowly, her expression grim and pale. Though, Rune seemed to know what was going on with her. He lowered himself next to her and wrapped a sore wing around her. Oasis continued to stay paralyzed, the shock from her first kill reappearing in her charcoal eyes. She pulled back from the kingdom slightly, not ready to launch herself into battle again. Rune felt the dragon shiver and grew nervous about how Oasis was going to handle the war. There was a silence, and then the faint sound of beating wings was caught in his small ears. Rune turned with a jump to see a whole pack of fiery SkyWings racing his way with narrow faces. The faces of hatred. The surviving SkyWings must’ve caught up, and judging by the narrow expressions on their scaly heads, they were thirsty for painful revenge. Rune should’ve known that those wretched SkyWings would return, but hadn’t they learned their lesson? Obviously not. “Oasis! They’ve returned! Up, now!” Rune shouted as he propelled himself high into the air and began to fly east. Although, he was too late, the female SandWing was already charred from the nearby dragons’ volcanic flames. “NO-!” Rune roared as several other dragons tackled him and chained him in metal brackets. Rune yanked his head in Oasis’s direction only to see that they were doing the same to her. “Queen Storm will go ballistic; the forbidden outlaw, and the lost SandWing princess.” One of the guards mused in the most twisted, wicked way possible. Chapter 3 The steel binding hurt Oasis. A lot. She wished she would’ve seen this coming. If only she would’ve never helped that stupid outlaw…''outlaw.'' Oasis figured that Rune was being chased by someone, but she never expected that he was a nationally wanted criminal. The fact only comforted the dragon more; that she, now “Princess Oasis”, saved a dangerous outlaw’s life. Speaking of royalty, since when was Oasis a princess? How was she a princess? The dragon was left with so many unanswered questions, and she hated it. Oasis tugged at the metallic chains, trying to escape. Every tug rubbed against rubbed between her dry scales and against her irritated flesh. The pain burned wildly, but it would be worth escaping…or at least trying to. Hopeless, Oasis sighed and curled up in an uncomfortable ball on her pedestal. The cold rock only annoyed the grumpy dragon further. Oasis obviously wasn’t quite accustomed to her surroundings yet. The SandWing lifted her head and began curiously glancing around the outdoor prison, searching for Rune and possibly Dirk. Sadly, both Rune and Dirk were out of her sight, which didn’t help Oasis one bit. To her left, a furious IceWing was angrily clawing at the rock while to her right, a plump, tired RainWing yawned and bit into a pruned mango, although the dragon didn’t seem to care. As bored and uncomfortable as she was, Oasis decided to start conversation to pass the time. She turned to face the RainWing. “Hey You!” She called out, hoping she didn’t sound too intimidating. The RainWing jumped, startled, and turned her way. “Um…Hi?” Oh boy, this conversation can’t get any better. The RainWing hesitantly waved back, his scaly brows furrowed slightly. “So, er, what are you here for?” Oasis called out. The RainWing took a bulky bite form his mango, swallowing loudly. “My brothers; they- we- tried to prank some nearby SkyWings…it didn’t turn out quite the way we expected…” “Who are they? Are they here?” The RainWing shrugged in reply and took another bite out of the dry, wrinkled fruit. “Their names are Chameleon and Bengal, but I’m not sure whether or not they’re still here…” his reply grew distant, and Oasis began to pity him. She then began to wonder, who she ever see Rune or Dirk again? Then again, she didn’t even know if Dirk was chained up in the vast, rocky complex. Oasis sighed, hoping that whatever happened to that poor RainWing’s siblings wouldn’t happen to her own friends. “What are you here for?” The RainWing called out, startling Oasis slightly. “Um…” Oasis wasn’t sure how to reply, to be honest, she didn’t know why she was even here. “I made friends with the wrong people.” Oasis answered blankly, hoping that that would be enough to satisfy the RainWing prisoner. Thankfully, he nodded soon after. “My name is Natch.” He called out, expecting her to answer. “I’m Oasis. Nice to meet you.” She smiled slightly. There was a pause. “How long have you been here for?” She queried blankly. “6 months.” Oasis nodded, figuring that the conversation was gradually becoming more boring. She leaned forwards and cupper her talons to her narrow snout. “Erm, what’s her problem?” she said in a hushed voice, gesturing to the angered IceWing. “Oh, that’s Fjautre. I’ve heard that she’s normally really excitable and friendly but ever since she’s been brought to the prison complex, she’s been growing cold and angry. Although, nobody knows how or why she’s here.” How odd. Oasis looked over the edge of the rock pillar, her talons hooking over the rough edge. Below her, a colossal coliseum stretched from what seemed like miles to Oasis. The circular arena was bordered with benches, seating, and a thick chainmail fence that stretched all the way around the arena. Two dragons, a SeaWing and a SandWing, were violently clawing one another with determined expressions driven with a mad lust for victory. Oasis hoped she wouldn’t end up like that. Suddenly, a tropical orange SkyWing was thrown her way, smashing into her like a ten ton wrecking ball. Oasis tumbled over the edge of her pedestal, her claws making a screeching noise as she desperately clung to the edge of the cold rock. Thankfully, the rigid stone was easy to cling to. Oasis struggled to pull herself up, although she eventually caught a shallow crevasse in the rock and eased herself upwards. In front of her was a vivid orange dragonet, possibly her age. She had milky white horns and claws, while her underbelly was a pale mango. Her eyes were a sharp green that stung Oasis’s own eyes whenever their eyes met. Oasis began to wonder if such a shade of green was natural for most SkyWings. “Omigosh! So Sorry! I didn’t mean t, you see, I was flying in the clouds, and then this wind came by, anditotallygotthrownoverhereand-” “Whoa whoa, settle. It’s fine, I-I’m okay.” Oasis interrupted coolly, gesturing to her unharmed scales. Although that rock did scrape her talons. And she though the dragon’s tail got stuck between her fangs for a moment… “Really! Okay good, cause I didn’t wanna get in trouble by Queen Storm, cause boy she can throw a good tantrum, and I didn’t want to get thrown in jail, and then I couldn’t fight, and see my friends, and my family, an-” “So, er, what’s your name?” she interrupted, hoping that she wouldn’t continue her fast paced story again, the dragon’s screechy voice annoyed her. “Perid.” She answered plainly, extending a talon. “Oasis.” The SandWing answered in a cheery tone as she grasped Perid’s hand and shook it gently. “Holy cow, you’re the Oasis? The missing SandWing princess? Holy cow, omigosh, I have to get Alps!” Perid chanted excitedly, her eyes nearly popping out of her narrow skull. “Eyep, that’s me.” Oasis replied in an ignorant tone, forcing a false grin. She almost forgot; she was a lost princess. Oasis then began to wonder if all of the other dragons of Phyrria knew about this. If so, she was gonna have to look forward to a lot more Perid dragons. Suddenly, Perid’s head whipped around like an alert gazelle, sensing its nearby predator. She shot Oasis this worried, pitiful look and hobbled to the edge of the pedestal. She turned her head to face Oasis once more, and she propelled herself into the windy sky. Oasis, puzzled, wondered what Perid was so afraid of. That was when she saw it; a muscular bronze SkyWing with scars scattered all over his underbelly and left profile was bounding towards her. She stumbled back a bit, intimidated by his size and the grim, nasty looked implanted on his broad face. The SkyWing grew closer and hovered around her pedestal. “Why isn’t little ol’ Princess Oasis? The Queen will love this fight.” The guard sneered menacingly and made a sharp gesture for his surrounding minions to surround the princess. “Unchain the dragon and prepare the arena for our next duel.” Chapter 4 A chill slithered down Oasis’s spine as she stepped into the cold arena. The eerie coliseum smelt of smoke and dead flesh, a scent that didn’t quite help her failing appetite. In the center of the stadium stood the worried looking Perid, who apparently announced most of the duels. The SkyWing turned, as if not wanting to see the pain reflecting in Oasis’s eyes; it was almost like she expected her to die. Oasis then figured why Perid was so pitiful, her opponent. The prisoner was a colossal MudWing with ripped muscles and red bloodshot eyes. His right eye was scarred and was absent of a pupil. Without such, the eyeball was a milky white. Oasis gulped hard. The mud dragon roared fiercely and readied himself for intense battle. Oasis on the other hand was sweating hard and trembling with anxiety. Her knees were as wobbly as a drunken scavenger, her head as blurred as the morning fog. She was sure she had no chance of winning against this oversized crocodile. Suddenly, Oasis slowly began to hear Perid’s voice yelling over the murmuring crowd, announcing the fight. “…and in the right wing, I give to you Bullhorn of the MudWings!” “Wings up, talons ready, FIGHT!” Perid called out as she launched herself into the air, waving her hands as if she was signaling something. The MudWing immediately snapped his jaws ajar and he propelled himself towards Oasis, his bloodstained fangs thirsty for flesh and bloodshed. Oasis reared back and rolled aside, the MudWing crashing into the marble wall behind her. The crowd roared in applause. Oasis turned, but cautiously kept the dazed dragon in the corner of her eyes. She then turned sharply and set herself in a confident ready position. The MudWing snorted and charged towards her like a bull. Oasis stepped aside and dragged a claw along the dragon’s side as he sped past. Again, the crowd began chanting her name vigorously. Smiling, Oasis turned to the crowd, clearly distracted by the attention. The MudWing sneered and repeatedly whipped his tail against her torso, causing the SandWing to topple to the ground. The dragon continued clawing and scratching at the limp, vulnerable dragon. Oasis yelped in pain. Suddenly, Oasis’s eyes lit up wildly and she propelled on top of the MudWing, purposely clawing at the dragon’s blind eye as she launched into the air. The MudWing screamed, as if in pain and not expecting such a comeback. Oasis sneered, the monster inside her rapidly surfacing. As she landed on top of the buff, muscular dragon, she bit the dragon’s neck and pulled the dragon’s ears back with her talons. The dragon began thrashing around like a bull in a scavenger rodeo. Even in her subconscious, Oasis noticed that the dragon really lived up to his name. Oasis deftly dodged the dragon’s thrashing claws and stabbed her barbed tail into the dragon’s skull. She leapt off of Bullhorn’s torso and landed heavily on the sandy floor, sneering with this insane look in her eyes. Bullhorn slowly fell to the ground, as if in slow motion. In front of Oasis laid the crippled pile of copper scales, his limbs limp and useless. It didn’t take an animus dragon to figure out that the MudWing was clearly dead. Oasis had won. The SkyWing crowd roared in applause, standing up and clapping their ivory white talons. They were clearly entertained from the fight, and Oasis was sure that the queen would be looking forward to more fights with Oasis included. As the SandWing restored her sanity, she realized that she needed to escape as soon as possible before Rune, herself, or even Dirk die in the dread arena. Oasis prayed that this wretched coliseum wouldn’t become her fate. A set of bronze guards unchained the chainmail fencing and stepped out to burn the body. Another set emerged and fetched Oasis, binding her talons and jaws together. It seemed almost as if they had equipped more chains to her. Oasis assumed they did so only because she was now considered a threat. Oasis scowled, she should’ve been a threat from the start. The SkyWing guards escorted the practically-immobile dragon to the Queen’s throne room because of an “invitation.” Oasis could smell the obvious scent of “scam” and “fraud” that hung in the thick air. The furniture must’ve been made by enslaved scavengers, because each detail was smaller than the tip of a RainWing’s talons. The carpeting was a disturbing shade of dark blood, while the walls were painted a deep fudge color. The room had a rather mysterious feel to it; Oasis felt uncomfortable. She lifted her head and met snout to snout with Queen Storm. Startled, Oasis jumped back and flared her wings, which was hard considering that they were bound together. The Queen sneered. “Hello, Oasis.” She welcomed in her narrow voice. The bloodcurdling sound made Oasis feel like someone was slowly driving an ice shard into her heart. She coiled back slightly. “Congratulations with your victory against Bullhorn. I didn’t see that one coming. Now, back to business.” Her deep, scarlet scales glittered in the dim light like fresh blood. Oasis shook her head. Stop thinking about blood! '' The queen stepped aside and gestured to a chained SandWing, who was violently wriggling to be set free. The dragon’s eyes bolted open the moment they met Oasis’s. "Oasis, meet Dirk.” She mused coldly. Chapter 5 “DIRK!” “OASIS!” The SandWing dragonet launched herself at her mentor, arms spread wide. Dirk, attempting to lung forward as well, found it hard to spread his arms wide open. The two attempted to embrace each other warmly. Oasis turned to face the Queen, her eyes wet with tears. “Set him free!” She cried. The Queen raised her head regally and made a gesture to her surrounding guards. They nodded firmly and set off for the doorway. Oasis grew suspicious, but got herself to focus on Dirk. “It depends.” The Queen said with a slight sneer. She examined her claws as she continued. “It depends on what you are willing to pay.” Her eyes shifted back to Oasis, a curious expression imprinted on her scaly face. Oasis coiled back fiercely in disgust. “Pay?” she snorted. “What do think I am? Some insanely rich dragonet who just happens to carry her hoard in her claws while trespassing into another kingdom? No way!” “Well you are a princess.” She replied blankly. “But that’s not what I mean. I’m asking if you are willing to give up any of your friends’ lives, preferably for my own entertainment. You see, I’ll put them in the arena, and if they live, you get both Dirk and your sacrificed friend back. If they die, well then I’m sure you can figure out what happens next.” Queen Storm shot the two a mischievous sneer, as she always did. Dirk leaned over and cupped his claws to his jaws. “What are your options?” He asked in a loud whisper. Oasis thought for a moment. What were her options? '' Well, there’s Rune, if anything I could put my bets on him. He’s a fairly good fighter, but I don’t know if I’m ready to lose him…Then there’s Natch, who had no hope of winning unless he’s against a crippled scavenger. Then there is Fjautre, who I barely know…it would be a cruel choice, to kill someone I haven’t even met. She’s probably got her own family, friends, life, I don’t have to involve her in this. Then again, she’s gonna have to fight eventually since she’s already stuck in this prison. I guess…I don’t know, this is so hard! “I don’t know Dirk…” Oasis huffed, pulling away slightly. Dirk shot her a pitiful look and pulled back, nodding slightly. Fjautre, it has to be Fjautre. Either way somebody is gonna die…who knows she might even win. '' “Queen, send Fjautre the IceWing into the arena.” Oasis sighed deeply, feeling a hard lump forming in the back of her throat. “Cell, please?” “Cell 53A...I think.” Oasis began to wonder what would happen if they sent the wrong dragon into the arena. Then again, the guards would probably check the name and species of the dragon before seizing them and throwing them into battle. The Queen sneered and snapped her talons as the second set of surrounding guards hurried out the entrance and towards the prison. She sneered a lot, and it disturbed Oasis greatly. An awkward silence hung in the air as the guards poured themselves out of the room. The quiet, for some odd reason, made her feel even more guilty. Probably because it was easier to think about her actions. The Queen cleared her throat and stepped off her throne. She slowly eased herself towards to open doorway. “Well, then, why don’t we see your friend’s fight.” She mused in this bloodcurdling voice as she gestured to the entrance. Oasis gulped and turned to face Dirk. The SandWing nodded and she knew that if Fjautre lost, they would all lose. Oasis turned and headed towards to doorway, side by side with the queen. The light from outside was blinding; Oasis had recently accustomed to dark lighting in Storm’s throne room. Now, she would have to adjust the light from outside the palace. The two made their way through the crowd, who were all lying on the cobblestone roads, bowing their heads. The Queen raised her head regally, her gaze shifting towards Oasis. Oasis turned her neck, purposely avoiding Storm’s poisonous eyes. Even as a princess, the idea of being above everyone else made her fill up with guilt. The two soon reached the stadium, which was beyond overcrowded with SkyWings. The bleachers were cloaked in reds, oranges, and golds. To Oasis, it almost seemed like the arena was on fire. She would’ve liked that; then she wouldn’t have to deal with this whole sticky situation. The crowd silenced as Queen Storm and Oasis stepped into the coliseum. A few hushed murmurs could be heard as they blew through the audience like a cold wind. Oasis lifted her neck curiously, as if analyzing the crowd. A set of guards made their way towards the dragons and unlocked the binding on Oasis’s wings. After that, they guided them towards a cobblestone platform high above the peak of the stadium. A single throne sat in the middle of the platform, its red velvet cushions lined with golden threads that coiled up into tiny dragon figures. The detail was terribly intricate, as all furniture was in the Sky Kingdom. As the dragons drew closer to the platform, Oasis decided to bring up a rather foolish question that she had been pondering for what seemed like hours. “Uh, hey Storm-” The Queen’s piercing eyes flared open with a mad stare. “I-I mean, Your Majesty, I know this is a, uh, rather daft question but who designed all of this delicate furniture? It is truly impressive.” The Queen smiled arrogantly, clearly pleased.” “A scavenger did. A very talented scavenger we found digging through our wine cellar, such a foolish one for being so talented!” She joked casually. Oasis forced herself to laugh along. “But, after years of slavery, it began to revolt and just ran off. I’m surprised it made it through the plaza; it should’ve been to bloody shreds by then.” Oasis felt a cold shiver run down her spine; she wasn’t too fond of talking about death right now. The dragons soon landed, their talons clicking as they collided onto the cold rock. A duo of guards pulled a satin chair from a far corner and set it up for Oasis. The SandWing smiled thankfully and made a quick nod and the guards backed up. She sat down, letting her weight sink into the cushions. ''Oh the relief, this is sooooo much better than being chained to a rugged stump in the ground. Oasis adjusted her posture, keeping in mind that she was given the position of a role-model. A series of trumpets blared and Perid rained from the sky like an orange bolt of lightning, landing softly on the arena as a cloud of sand erupted from beneath her claws. She stood on her hind legs, gesturing for the crowd to quiet down. The volume lowered dramatically. “SkyWing citizens, may I have you turn your heads to the Queen’s Throne where our featured guest is being seated. I present to you one of our most recent victors, Princess Oasis. Princess? PRINCESS? I don’t want to be seen as a PRINCESS! I want to be known as a THREAT! This is outrageous! The dragon couldn’t help herself from snorting. Thankfully, the Queen didn’t seem to notice to rude reaction. “And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for, the featured duel between an IceWing and a SandWing! Two complete opposites, one deathly duel! Ladies and Gentledragons, I give to you a legendary champion who only has one duel until freedom, a past ruler with incredible combat skills, a dragon with more willpower than a RainWing-” The crowd laughed, as expected. “May I present, Sahara of the SandWings!” What do they mean by past ruler…? Oh, she’s probably exaggerating. Oasis realized, feeling stupid. “And in the other corner, a young IceWing sent to battle by an anonymous princess…” The crowd, and Fjautre, turned to face the stands. Oasis ducked away, as if ashamed. The look in the IceWings eyes felt like a stab of raw guilt in her cold heart. Oasis pulled her wings in tighter as she felt her neck grow heavy and fall even deeper towards the ground. Queen Storm gave the dragon a curious look, one that she could not decipher. It made the SandWing feel odd. “SkyWing citizens, may I give to you, Fjautre!” Perid propelled into the air as the dragons almost immediately began tackling and clawing one another to death. Fjautre leapt away from Sahara, her scales barely escaping her deadly grasp. She then made a swift turn and slowly circled the SandWing. Sahara turned her bruised body, setting her keen eyes on the pale dragon as she circled around her. After several long rounds of circling, Sahara grew dizzy and lost her balance for a split second. Fjautre snapped open her sharp jaws as she propelled towards her, claws spread wide open. Sahara withdrew her wings to protect herself from the attack. The crowd roared in excitement and Fjautre violently tore the dragon’s wings apart. Dark blood spilled onto the sandy pit of the arena, staining the dry earth. Sahara roared and reared back slightly, a fraction of her wing lying limply beside her. The SandWing’s eyes shot open, revealing her bloodshot sclera. She roared once more and launched at the IceWing engaging the two in intense battle. Blood continued to pour onto the arena; thick and dark, red and smooth. Oasis grimaced, fearing the mere sight of the vile liquid. Thankfully, the “monster” in Oasis didn’t seem to be rising from the depths of her thoughts. Instead, the SandWing could barely even watch the fight. Such events scarred her mind when she wasn’t going wild with the need for bloodshed. Oasis then realized how different she was from her inner beast. Bloodcurdling fear stirred inside of her. After what seemed like endless decades of sharp, painful screams and hours of bloody brawling, Fjautre rose from beneath the SandWing, holding out Sahara’s fleshy, red heart in the palm of her claws. Oasis noticed thick tears streaming down her face, similar to the eerie canals of blood that ran down Sahara’s scales and pale underbelly; which by now, had been torn apart to the bone. Bits of her horns had been chipped, while patches of bloody flesh shown through bare spots. Oasis reared back in horror, the scene was too…too…too terrifying. She gulped and turned to Queen Storm, whose gaze was set upon the arena, a menacing sneer spreading across her scaly face. Oasis gulped hard. Is that really what it’s like? Out there? Oasis turned to attempt to see beyond the barricade of mountains. Although the setting sun was visible, the lush, green horizon was nowhere to be seen. She sighed and turned back to the arena, where patches of the audience were already readying themselves to leave. “Well then, that was quite the fight if I have to say so myself.” The Queen applauded slyly as she readied her wings to fly back down. “Aren’t you coming, Oasis? We’re visiting your IceWing champion!” Oasis looked down at her talons and nodded quietly. The dragons, one by one, glided off of the platform, landing soundly on the sandy arena below. Oasis grimaced in disgust as they passed the torn corpse of Sahara. Although, the corpse somehow seemed familiar to her in ways she couldn’t explain. It made her feel odd. After a brief flight back to the SkyWing palace, the dragons then made their way to the throne room. Fjautre, Dirk, and several guards had already been waiting for them. Fjautre was panting and holding her hand on a bleeding wound that scarred her torso, she barely took notice to the Queen’s entrance. As for Dirk, he was just waking up from a sound nap. “Congratulations on your victory, Fjautre.” The Queen said proudly. The IceWing’s head rose to meet the Queen’s. “T-thank you Your Majesty.” Fjautre stuttered weakly. Your Majesty? Why is she showing such respect to one who isn’t even her own Queen? “My, such manners for such a brutal warrior,” The Queen remarked, her head tilting back in a regal position. She turned to face Oasis, her eyes narrow and entertained. “Now, my dear, I believe we had arranged a deal?” Oasis nodded. “Ah yes, I guess I owe both you, Fjautre, and Dirk a little reunion. Inferno, lock the exit.” The Queen gestured to a male crimson dragon whose scales seemed to be on fire. Small balls of smoke rose beneath his scales and charred talons. Oasis frowned, why was he locking the exit? “Shadowteller, bring me the scroll. You know which one.” The Queen eyed a distant shadow in the wall curiously. Suddenly, a NightWing spilled out from the darkness, carrying a cream colored roll of paper. Oasis felt her heart begin to race. What’s going on? What about my deal? I need to escape! The NightWing extended her talon to the Queen, who with one swift swipe lifted the scroll from the dragon’s claws. The NightWing then backed up into the shadows, her mysterious eyes set on Oasis. She gulped. “Now then,” Queen Storm lifted a bloody seal with a single talon and slowly unraveled the scroll. “I don’t often believe in prophecies, but this one may involve a couple nearby dragonets and that may prove that you two have some worth.” The Queen sneered as she began reading off the prophecy. “As time goes by And scavengers deplete One villain remains That five shall defeat Two SandWings of royalty One IceWing of loyalty A SkyWing of speed A NightWing of cruelty Five shall rise As another falls Five dragonets to rule To rule them all.” '' The Queen huffed as she rolled the scroll up and handed it back to the NightWing. She then turned to face the three dragons again. “Since you idiots can’t comprehend such knowledge, I’ll be nice and put it in a nutshell. Five dragonets, one evil bad guy, another fight to the death, and whoever wins is praised by all of Phyrria. Or at least that’s how I see it.” “Wait, why would there be an evil NightWing working with the ‘good guys’?” Fjautre queried weakly. “It just means that whoever this NightWing is has a naughty reputation, that’s all.” Queen Storm replied as she began to study her talons with a blank expression. “Oasis,” her gaze was serious now. “This war is more than you think, there are reasons why the Scorching has been going on for so long, reasons that I’m not yet qualified to tell you. You have worth my dear, you and your little IceWing friend. And if I’m the villain in this so called prophecy, I’d probably kill you on the spot; trust me I can. But now that I think about it, there are chances that I’m not the supposable ‘bad guy’ and that I should spare your lives.” The Queen paused and sneered slightly. “But where's the fun in that. Guards, have them all executed.” Chapter 6 "No, wait!” Oasis screamed as she extended her arm towards Queen Storm. The guards swarmed around the poor dragonets, gripping their limbs tightly. Oasis felt a heavy set of chains begin to bind around her, quickly snapping her outstretched arm to her underbelly. “You can’t do this to us, what if we aren’t the dragonets the prophecy described? What if we’re just ordinary SandWings, or-or ordinary IceWings?” Oasis continued. She felt the guards’ grip tighten around her foreleg. “Are you questioning my power? I’m the Queen! I can do anything I want!” Queen Storm’s expression was mad with power. Her sapphire eyes lit up wildly, glowing fiercely in the dim lightning. Oasis felt herself gulp with fear; although it wasn’t like her to do such. Oasis knew who she was: strong, brave, intelligent, slightly arrogant, but not a coward. She grumbled and thrashed around. ''I won’t cower to this monstrous beast they call a SkyWing; I WON’T COWER TO ANYONE! '' With one powerful leap, Oasis had propelled herself high into the air, her wings barely scraping the ceiling of the throne room. Thankfully, the ceiling was somewhat high from the ground. The height offered some sort of aerial movement, which was clearly enough for Oasis. Oasis made a sharp turn and dove towards the guards that held Fjautre. Like a powerful gust of wind to a pile of leaves, the SkyWing guards were thrown into the air. Oasis quickly unchained Fjautre and immediately bounded over to the imprisoned Dirk. She was only inches away from her master when a sudden weight clamped her tail to the ground, leaving her immobile. Oasis looked up and groaned in pain, her anemic gaze meeting the Queen’s bitter sneer. She sensed the Queen’s cold claw running up her spine, circling around her neck until the talon hooked just under her chin. It took a lot of effort to stop herself from gulping; she didn’t want to hint any of the SkyWings of her fear. Although, she was sure her expression was just as pale and terrified as her thoughts. “Your death is going to be so entertaining dear.” She sneered, the claw digging further into her chin. “Guards, you have put more effort into your job or you’ll end up as tomorrow’s entertainment.” Queen Storm lifted the claw from Oasis’s chin, the SandWing exhaling in relief. “And this time, make sure you actually lock them ''inside their cells before they attempt to escape.” The guards nodded, hauling the prisoners off to their assigned cells. Oasis, barely mobile, turned to face Fjautre. The cheerless IceWing’s limbs were being dragged against the cobblestone flooring, her bound wings drooping at her sides. Both her gaze and her head wilted heavily towards the ground, as if she had no bones, as if she was as limp as a puddle of water. Oasis sighed, pitying the weak dragonet. As the guards and dragonets journeyed to the halls and into the palace cells, conversation began to brew among the SkyWing soldiers. “Do you really think that Her Majesty would throw us into the arena?” One of Fjautre’s guards mumbled to another. “I doubt it; it’s just one of those useless threats she uses to scare us, after all it’s not like there’s many of us left.” Not many of us left? Why would they be low on guards? The scavengers are no threat to our kind; they couldn’t possibly have created this dilemma. “Actually,” one of the other guards began in a “know-it-all” tone. “My thoughts say otherwise. According to her personality and actual concern for other dragons, I doubt she’d spare our lives. Even if our forces have weakened, she couldn’t care less about anything other than her own entertainment.” Several of the other guards nodded in agreement. “True, but if that were to happen, I bet General Inferno would stop her. He cares more about his troops than his own life; now that’s dedication.” “Yes, that is true, but Panic, remember that the Queen has more power than General Inferno and can kill him whenever she pleases. She won’t be swayed easily by others’ opinions and orders.” “Her daughter could challenge her…” Fjautre began meekly. The guards turned in surprise. Oasis turned, her expression slightly alarmed. She didn’t want the IceWing to get them into any more trouble than they were already in. “Sh-she can challenge the Queen to a fight. She has the right to kill her whenever. So, if Princess Scarlet were to side with your General, you would be invincible.” “Unless she lost.” “Then we’d surely die. Us and the General both.” “Not if you were to train her. She’s only five but I’ve heard of princesses who became Queen at the age of four.” Fjautre cut in, her tone more vigorous and less shy. “O-okay guys, this really isn’t that serious. I mean, we’re only like, a few guards. Compared to the population of the kingdom, i-it’s no biggie.” The guard who began the conversation interrupted feebly. A nearby guard turned and gave him a pitiful glance. Oasis felt bad that the dragon didn’t value his own existence, unlike herself. She defiantly valued her own life. The dragons soon approached the Prison Wing, the part of the castle used for “really super duper dangerous” prisoners. Although sad that the cells were mucky and most-likely infected by some life-threatening virus, Oasis took it as a compliment that she was considered a “dangerous” criminal. So this is what Rune feels like. '' Oasis turned and exchanged worried glances with Fjautre. The poor IceWing looked just about as worried as her, perhaps even more. The two dragonets were shoved into a moldy cell with one other prisoner. Moss dripped from the ceiling while odd goo oozed from the cracks and crevasses. The dragon inside looked just as unpleasant. “Here yar go, enjoy yar stay.” One of the guards mused cruelly, the others chuckling behind him. “Enjoy your painful death!” Oasis launched at the bars of the cell, shaking them violently. A few of the guards leapt back, clearly afraid of Oasis’s attack. The others just continued down the dark hall. “Simmer down, darlin’. You might as well adjust, or it’s going to be a long hundred years.” The SandWing guards chuckled again. Oasis snarled angrily. “The guard is right.” The two dragonets turned to face the prisoner. “The name is Raptor. I’ve been in here for about…9 years?” Oasis felt her jaw drop. The SkyWing said the sentence in such a nonchalant tone, as if it were no big deal. “Eyep. It’s true. 9 years.” Fjautre looked puzzled. “Most prisoners are dead by 9 months. How did you survive this long? And what did you do to be sentenced for so long?” “Oh I’m not up for parole for another 10, 20 years.” The dragon began analyzing his claws; his expression cool. “I assonated the Queen’s firstborn, Garnet. He was a male, so I don’t get what the big deal was all about.” “What the big deal was about?!” Oasis began furiously. “You murdered the egg of possibly the most combat-able Queen all of Phyrria has come to know! I’m still debating why you’re still alive! And here you are, saying that it’s ‘not a big deal’?!” The SandWing looked just about ready to clobber the dragon; biting his heart out and shredding it to millions of bloody pieces. “Simmer down, darlin’.” Raptor teased, mimicking the guard’s bizarre accent. “Arrrrggghhhh!” Oasis whipped her tail violently. “Chill guys, look, if it’s anything we should be concerned about, it’s how are we going to escape.” Fjautre interrupted while nervously eyeing the cell. Her expression was tense with anxiety. Oasis nodded coolly, letting her scales relax from the tension. “I’m still waiting for an apology. You know it isn’t polite to yell at other dragons like that.” Raptor said, lifting his narrow head regally. Oasis growled, her muscles growing tense again. “You two are hopeless.” Fjautre joked, rolling her eyes playfully. The IceWing laid her wing flat on the ground, laying on it as if it was a bed. Oasis realized that it was later in the day than she had thought. Night had dawned upon Phyrria hours ago and most of the prisoners were already fast asleep. Oasis looked around the filthy cell. Sleeping in such a place was almost unhealthy. She coiled back in disgust, wrinkling her snout and lifting a wing to protect her nose from the vile stench. Oasis then used Fjautre’s idea of sleeping on top of her wing. As she curled herself up in a tight coil, she realized how exhausted she really was. It’s been a long day, you deserve some sleep. She thought lazily. Oasis yawned and tucked her scaly head between her forearm and her free wing. She opened a single eye and looked at each of the inmates. Even the annoying Raptor was fast asleep. Oasis sighed happily, enjoying the peace and lacking of the SkyWing’s annoying comments. With one fall of her heavy eyelids, Oasis was fast asleep. ''Good night Phyrria. She thought wistfully as she fell peacefully into a deep slumber. Category:Fanfictions Category:Fanfictions (Semi-Canon) Category:Fanfictions (Fanon) Category:Fanfictions (Incomplete)